All by Myself

Christian Blackwood's fascinating documentary portrait of Eartha Kitt not only offers a multifaceted sense of its subject--as professional entertainer, private individual, political activist, and self-commentator--but also treats each of these facets in a kaleidoscopic manner. The relationship between Kitt's champagne-and-furs persona and her traumatic deep-south upbringing is especially suggestive; by the end of the film one may not be sure how much of Kitt is self-invented, but the sense of dialectical exchange between the aspects of her personality keeps all of them intriguing (1982). Blackwood will be present at the Friday screening to introduce the film and answer questions afterward. (Film Center, Art Institute, Columbus Drive at Jackson, Friday, February 1, 6:00, and Saturday, February 2, 2:00, 443-3737)